up their backside

USAGE SUMMARY

"up their backside" is correct and usable in written English. It can be used informally to express annoyance or frustration with someone's behavior. Example: "He was so stubborn, it felt like he had a stick up his backside." Alternative expressions include "up their rear," "up their ass," or "in their rear end."

News & Media

Sport

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

"I'd like to ram the baton up their backside," says Gouldman with some relish.

The Guardian - Music

If anybodys head is up their backside as stated by Swanny, he just proved it".

The Guardian - Sport

President Assad and his acolytes would continue their bloody crackdown on the revolt unless they feared they might "end up in a storm drain with a bayonet up their backside", he added.

Independent

And the only thing that would deflect this man and this regime is if they fear they are going to end up in a storm drain with a bayonet up their backside.

Independent

"We are not trying to blow smoke up their backside to try take pressure off them.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Alberto Contador and Thor Hushovd are a picture of contentment, having a nice chat as they drift along with the gentles of breezes drifting up their backsides.

The Guardian - Sport

Neither do I consider it my opportunity of giving the "Westminster elite" a kick up their backsides, but I do think the addition of Ukip as a third/fourth party, the rise of the Greens and the SNP, to be good for democracy, and hopefully one day we will see the completely undemocratic first-past-the-post system abandoned.

The Guardian

If you were stuck behind them at your local municipal, you'd have stuck a ball up their backsides by now or gone in for bacon sandwiches.

BBC

In scenes reminiscent of Maradona's 2010 World Cup training methods, O'Neill had the losing team perform a forfeit, namely offering up their backsides as target practice for the victors.

BBC

Its entire workforce ran as if they had a metaphorical boot up their backsides.

The New York Times - Sports

This June, at the climactic moment of "Pâquerette," an hourlong duet at the Invisible Dog Art Center in Brooklyn (part of the Queer New York Festival), Cecilia Bengolea and François Chaignaud, after removing what few garments they had been wearing, inserted dildos up their backsides and kept them there for perhaps 10 minutes.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Reserve this phrase for informal writing, sports reporting or when capturing authentic dialogue to preserve its impact and avoid a clash of registers in formal documents.

Common error

Writers sometimes use "up their backside" to mean 'ignored' or 'dismissed', but this can be confusing. Be careful to distinguish between 'a kick up the backside' (a motivator) and 'having one's head up their backside' (being unaware or arrogant), as swapping these contexts can lead to unintentional humor.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "up their backside" functions as a prepositional phrase acting as an adverbial or adjectival modifier. In the data provided by Ludwig, it often completes a verb phrase to indicate direction (as in 'kick up') or state of being (as in 'heads up'). It is frequently used in Ludwig AI examples to provide a vivid, physical anchor to abstract concepts like motivation or arrogance.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Sport

10%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

Analysis of Ludwig data reveals that "up their backside" is a robust and frequently utilized phrase in British journalism and sports reporting. While it is rare in its exact singular form in academic settings, its various idiomatic incarnations—ranging from motivational 'kicks' to metaphorical 'heads'—demonstrate its versatility in everyday English. Ludwig AI highlights its usage as a way to ground complex human behaviors in simple, anatomical metaphors, making it a powerful tool for writers looking to add flavor and directness to their prose. Ultimately, it remains a quintessential example of how informal language bridges the gap between literal description and figurative punch.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

up their rear end

Uses a slightly less blunt but still anatomical term for the same location.

up their ass

A more vulgar and Americanized version of the same sentiment.

up their own backsides

A plural variation often used to describe collective arrogance or self-absorption.

up their bum

A milder, often British colloquialism suitable for less aggressive contexts.

up their posterior

Provides a more clinical or mock-formal tone while retaining the meaning.

up their jacksie

Employs a specific British slang term for a more regional flavor.

up their tail

A metaphorical variation often used in competitive or chase contexts.

up their hindquarters

A more technical or descriptive term used primarily in anatomical or animal contexts.

up their fundament

An archaic or literary choice that adds a touch of old-fashioned wit.

into their rear

Focuses more on the direction of movement rather than the position.

FAQs

How to use "up their backside" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe physical positioning or in idioms like 'a kick up the backside'. For example: 'The team needed a kick "up the backside" to start playing well'.

What can I say instead of "up their backside"?

Depending on the desired level of formality, you can use alternatives like "up their rear end", "up their posterior", or the more vulgar "up their ass".

Is "up their backside" considered rude?

It is considered informal and moderately blunt. While not a severe profanity in British English, it is often seen as unpolished for professional or formal environments.

What does it mean if someone's head is "up their backside"?

This is a common idiom implying that someone is being foolish, arrogant, or completely unaware of reality. A similar expression is having one's "head in the sand".